Energy Audit is the first step in Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency Projects for Industrial Plants. First and foremost advantage is cutting down on the production costs as Energy costs are ever-rising. Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency Solution implementation is next.
Major areas include Electrical Energy Conservation, Electrical Energy Efficiency, Thermal Energy Conservation. Thermal Energy Efficiency, Fuel Optimization etc.

Monday, 29 August 2016

Energy Audit - Is it the right time for your plant?

Energy Audit is a periodic exercise undertaken by a plant to assess it's energy consumption and identify opportunities for Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency. It also helps a plant personnel in modernizing the plant inline with new technology solutions.

The question is why is it periodic and not a one-time activity. The answer lies in the dynamic nature of manufacturing industry - both internal and external. With the advancement in technology there are better and more energy efficient ways to carry out the same activity. For eg. use of higher efficiency equipment such as Compressors or motors or Boilers. By use of contemporary solutions a company could ensure more bang for the buck. A plant which stays in the status quo mode with the belief that it's performing at it's best would soon witness oblivion.

Additionally a plant undergoes modifications over a period of time which may impact it's energy balance thereby presenting newer opportunities for deployment of Energy Efficiency practices. Modifications may include enhancement of capacity, new product addition, introduction of new equipment or replacement of old or worn out equipment etc.

Increasing competition from the Global and new Local competitors should be one of the major driving forces to achieve optimum energy levels. It is no surprise that plants across the Globe are striving to achieve optimum cost of production to stay ahead of the competition. Energy is indeed one of the most expensive resources which can significantly impact the production cost - both positively and negatively. Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation should be viewed as a strategic tool to achieve competitive edge.

To understand if this is the right time for your plant to go for Energy Audit we have prepared a check-list. The answers to this checklist would give you a fair idea if Energy Audit is recommended for your plant or not. This is particularly important if you are expecting significant energy saving from the Energy Audit. There are cases wherein a plant carries out Energy Audit to cross-check or verify their correctness of operations as well.

In any case it would be worthwhile for you to get this FREE analysis done. Simply send a mail to info@econserve.in and we will guide you to the next steps.

In the Energy Efficiency space we have carried out assignments for highly reputed Clients from Steel, Cement, Thermal Power Plants, Chemical, Pharma, Glass Manufacturing, FMCG etc.

In the Solar Power space we have advised and executed projects for leading Industrial plants across India (through own financing + Customer financing) rooftop and ground projects ranging from 100 kW to 5000 kW (5 MW).

Monday, 30 March 2015

Can Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency help in reducing global warming?

What is Global Warming?
Global Warming is increase in the earth's atmospheric temperature due to trapping of most of the Sun's heat rather than reflecting from the Earth's surface. Earlier a debatable topic, it is now being accepted for real - thanks to sudden and abrupt weather changes across the Globe.

There is a strong link between Energy Conservation & Energy Efficiency with Global warming. This post attempts to join the dots and answer the query on how Energy Conservation & Energy Efficiency could answer the problem of Global Warming.

How is Global Warming impacting the Earth?
The earth's temperature is steadily rising and the average temperature on earth is expected to rise by about 4 degrees Celsius by the end of this century. The temperature rise is enough to melt down the ice in Antarctica and other areas causing coastal areas to drown.

Earth Atmosphere Temperature

As can be seen in the above graph the earth's temperature has increased significantly mainly attributed to human activities. Historically there have been instances of high temperature on earth but it has never touched the highs that we are currently witnessing.

How can Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency mitigate Global Warming?
With rapid Industrialization and growing population the consumption of all good and materials is significantly increasing. Energy is no exception.

World Historical Electricity Consumption

As can be seen in the above graph the world electricity consumption has been on a consistent rise for a long time now. Power generation or electricity production has been primarily through burning of fossil fuels which releases CO2 into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is one of the green house gases which traps the heat within the earth's atmosphere.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Gas in U.S.

This is known as Greenhouse Effect which happens when CO2 (main greenhouse gas) along with other green house gases such as Methane form a blanket of cover trapping the heat.

What can be done?
Every unit (kWh) of electricity produced results in 0.8 to 1.0 kg of CO2 released into the atmosphere. The actual CO2 released into the atmosphere will depend on the type of fuel used i.e. Coal, Lignite, Gas etc. Out of the 2,50,000 + MW of installed capacity in Indian 60% of power generation is through Coal and 10% through other fossil fuels. This shows that fossil fuels still dominate the power scenario in India.

It is expected that power consumption will continue to rise across the Globe especially in developing economies such as India.

As can be seen in the above graph Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency can result in significant CO2 abatement and thereby help in addressing the issues of Global Warming and Climate Change.

While energy consumption for power production cannot be curbed we can certainly adopt energy conservation measures and energy efficient equipment & processes. This would help in bringing down per-capita consumption of energy.

Energy Audit is a step in the direction of Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency and hence can help in reducing Global Warming to a large extent. This is true for Industrialized Countries as well as developing Countries such as India, China, Middle-East and South East Asia - which are fast becoming a manufacturing hub. Especially for India wherein more than 45% Energy Consumption takes place in Industrial plants, energy conservation and energy efficiency in Industrial plants could certainly help the cause of global warming.

We invite your comments with your views, feedback and queries.

Enerco Energy Solutions LLP assists Industrial and Commercial Consumers in reducing their energy usage by adopting energy conservation and energy efficiency measures. This is done by carrying out Energy Audit, System Audit, Site Survey and then executing Energy Saving and Solar Energy projects on BOOT Basis and ESCO basis with 100% Investment.

Tuesday, 20 January 2015

International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency can alone result in more than 60% of CO2 Abatement by 2020.

CO2 Abatement IEA Chart

As can be seen above Energy Efficiency sits on top of all other initiatives for CO2 abatement and thereby controlling global warming. Interestingly the investment required to achieve 60% of CO2 abatement during the period 2010-2020 is 70% of the total investment required for all the initiatives during the period.Energy Audit is the first step towards Energy Conservation in an Industrial plant or a Commercial facility.In India Energy Audit, although quite popular with Industrial plants, is yet to take off in a very big way. Many Companies have realized the potential of energy saving in their plant and have also carried out energy audit. However one must realize that Energy Audit is only the first step in the direction of energy efficiency and energy conservation. The recommendations made as part of the energy audit have to be implemented to achieve the energy saving targets.The energy saving recommendations may require little or no investment and in some cases high investments as well. The investments are then taken up by the plant in a phase-wise manner, which result in delayed energy saving for the plant. In fact some of the recommendations may never be taken up by the plant. This renders the entire energy audit exercise futile.In addition to the technical expertise required for Energy Audit the need of the hour is to have mutually beneficial business models such as ESCO and RESCO.

In case of ESCO the service provider (Energy Audit Company) invests in the energy saving projects identified in the plant or commercial facility (Target Company). The benefits of the savings achieved are then shared by the service provider and the plant.The benefits of this approach to a plant :

Energy Audit enables to assess the true potential of energy saving in the plant. Typically this can range from 5% to 12% of Specific Energy Consumption (SEC).

The service provider (Energy Audit Company) has the responsibility to identify truly feasible projects after mutual discussions and an in-depth analysis.

The responsibility of service provider does not end with submission of energy audit report.

Financing for the identified energy saving projects would also be undertaken by the service provider and hence no investment to be done by the plant once the energy audit is completed.

The plant would start saving from the first day of implementation of project without investing in the project.

Updates of 01st Aug 2016

In addition to above mentioned benefits it is also prudent to note that Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation is an ongoing exercise. This means fresh influx of investments are required from time to time.

In most of the cases any Industrial plant or manufacturing unit wishes to focus it's major resources - money, time and work-force - on it's core activities. For example a Steel plant would want to focus it's entire work force on quality, timely and cost-efficient way of manufacturing Steel. In such a [Other Popular Article : Energy Audit - Is it the right time for your plant?]scenario a holistic approach by a dedicated Energy Saving company could reap results and benefits in the short to long term. While the Energy Saving Company resources work independently (under the leadership guidance of a Energy Manager) there are various improvement suggested over a period of time (as against a one-time Energy Audit activity) :

Brainstorming sessions : Prepare a list of all identifiable Energy Saving opportunities - including the ones suggested by in-house team. Evaluate all the opportunities and come up with a final list of practically possible Energy Saving measures. This is supported by data.

Expert Consultancy under ESCO : Visit by a process expert under ESCO model wherein the said Company does not pay for consultancy charges but the charges for consultancy are linked to actual energy saving achieved.

Contemporary Solutions : As the approach is cyclical and ongoing in nature it ensures that the most contemporary solutions are being suggested and implemented in the plant.

360 Degree view: All the critical touch-points including all equipment, machinery, logistics (if applicable) from gate-to-gate are covered and explored for Energy Saving opportunities.

At Enerco Energy Solutions LLP we can not only offer Technical Consultancy but also Financial Consultancy and fund the Energy Saving Projects. There are various financing models including (but not limited to) -

If you wish to know more about how Enerco Energy Solutions LLP could assist you in bringing down your energy costs - under ESCO and RESCO (or other financing) models - please write into us on info@econserve.in.

Wednesday, 9 October 2013

ISO 50001 : 2011 Energy Management Systems was released by International Organization for Standardization in June 2011. It specifies a standard for improving energy efficiency of an Organization by achieving continual improvement in it's energy usage.

ISO 50001 offers a systematic approach for Energy management within an Organization. While Energy Audit which is certainly beneficial to a single unit or plant or office in saving energy, the ISO 50001 framework works across the Organization. It may still be required to audit individual plants or facilities as part of the policy framework developed for an Organization.

It provides a framework of requirements for Organizations to :

Develop a policy to improve energy efficiency

Set targets and objectives

Carry out energy audit

Measure results

Review policy

Ensure continual improvement in energy efficiency

In the present scenario where the energy costs are at an all time high ISO 50001 provides the necessary approach path to achieve energy conservation and energy efficiency goals of a Company in a systematic manner. It offers a blueprint for energy management policy and a universal process that can be applied across Organization including factories, offices, commercial facilities etc.

The most important aspect of ISO 50001 is continuous improvement in energy efficiency through Action => Data collection => Data Analysis => Further Action. Energy Audit forms a critical part of the ISO 50001 framework implementation as it calls for performance review at critical points and enables a strong feedback based system. It may be noted that it is advisable for a plant to undergo an Energy Audit at periodic interval for achieving optimum level of energy usage.

Services include Energy Audit (Electrical and Thermal), ISO 50001 - Consulting, Implementation and Training, Solar Power - Consulting, Training and Project Execution., please drop us a mail to info@econserve.inor get in touch with us through our Contact Us form.

Tuesday, 3 September 2013

Energy Audit is an important Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency exercise carried out annually
or biennially by Industrial plants and Commercial facilities. The obvious
reason for a plant to go for an Energy Audit is the saving of energy
through Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency measures. This saving translates into monetary saving and hence can have a direct impact on
profitability of a Company. It is also an obvious step towards sustainability.

Although Energy Audit in itself can result in saving
of Energy the recommendations made post complete survey, study and analysis as part of Energy Audit results
in far more savings. The typical savings for a plant can range from 15% to
25% or more. The savings vary from plant to plant as there are various factors that can impact the same :

Age and type of the plant.

Time since last energy audit.

Plant load composition.

Modifications in the plant.

Energy saving measures undertaken.

Plant / Company Policies.

Types of fuel used in the Plant.

Energy billing type.

Plant location.

And many such factors.

There is, thus no specific answer, as to how much energy a plant could save post an Energy Audit. An estimate could certainly be provided and in all cases, based on our experience with various Clients across India and overseas, Energy Audit could prove to be useful and economically viable. This is especially true in the present day scenario when Energy costs are ever-rising and are expected to rise further.

Enerco Energy Solutions LLP has been at the forefront of advising Industrial Plants on Green Energy initiatives such as Energy Optimization, Energy Audit, Solar Power, PV Solar etc. If you wish to carry out Energy Audit of your plant please send us the details in the Energy Audit Questionnaire.

Sunday, 13 January 2013

1. Energy Audit which results in Energy Saving for a Plant translates into Significant Saving on Production Costs which
can be anywhere from 5% to 10% depending on size of the plant and various other factors.C Energy is the 2nd
largest component in the Production Cost. In 2012 - almost all the States of India hiked power prices with hike ranging from 5% to 30%. With ever-rising cost of Energy –
Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency can directly impact P&L
Statement. Energy Audit will thus result in significant Energy Saving - as mentioned in this post - Does Energy Audit really save Energy? [link]

2. Energy Audit works for
every single Plant or Commercial Facility as there is always scope for
Energy Optimization through Energy Conservation & Energy Efficiency.C Every plant
goes through some changes over a period of time. Moreover an external Energy
Audit team works across departments and brings in rich experience gained from Energy
Audit of several plants. This not only results in gaining fresh perspective of Energy saving possibility by an external team also results in bench-marking based on similar parameters.

3. Energy Audit gives a positive orientation to Preventive Maintenance, Safety and Quality Control
programs thereby improving the overall efficiency and output of existing system.C Energy Audit does not mean only studying the energy
aspects but also a comprehensive study of the plant with respect to performance
and output. As mentioned in the New Age Industrial Energy Audit [link] post - an Energy Audit includes several aspects of improvement in output at an Industrial plant with Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency as the central theme.4. Nearly all the Industrial Units and
Commercial Complexes have a potential to save 10-15% on Energy Bills (in
Electrical Power alone) and additional savings in Thermal Energy.C Verified by Government Agencies and hence BEE has
selected Designated Consumers to carry out periodic Energy Audit. In any case
an Industrial Plant or Commercial Facility is certain to gain from an Energy Audit which gives them an opportunity to periodically review their Energy goals and ensure optimum energy levels for the plant.5. Many of the Energy Saving
measures recommended as part of an Energy Audit may require little or no
investment but results in significant savings. C Energy Audit Report [link] - submitted at the end of the Energy Audit - consists of several recommendations
including many which may require negligible or no investment – but can result
in savings of 5 – 8%. Further savings possible through implementation of additional
recommendations in the report.

Tuesday, 16 October 2012

Energy Audit :: Why should a Plant go for it?

Energy Audit is an exercise carried out for an Industrial Plant, Thermal Power Plant or a Commercial Facility as a first step towards achieving Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency. As mentioned in one of our previous posts it is a complex technical assessment which results in achieving optimum energy level.

More often this crucial exercise is carried out for Industrial Plants or Thermal Power Plants as Energy forms a greater component in the production cost. With the ever-rising cost of Energy (Fuel, Coal etc.) and Grid Electrical Power it is a necessary step towards achieving optimum Energy level. The term Specific Energy Consumption (SEC) is commonly used to determine the energy required to manufacture or process a particular unit of plant output (eg. kWh / T for a Steel plant or litres / kWh for a D.G. Set etc.). For an Industrial Plant SEC may include all possible energy that has been used in the product manufacturing or processing and not just electrical power.

There are several reasons why a Plant should ensure a periodic and comprehensive Energy Audit (Thermal + Electrical)., majority of them are :

Energy forms a major component in Production Cost and will continue to increase its share for an Industrial Plant as Energy costs are rising every day. In many cases it is the 2nd largest component in Production cost next only to Labor. Thus an Energy Audit can significantly and positively impact a Plant's Profit & Loss Statement.

Any Industrial Plant undergoes a change due to expansion or modification or modernization - always presenting an opportunity for Energy Optimization. An Energy Audit will thus reveal potential areas to save energy and improve efficiency.

Energy being a topic of high interest - constant innovation takes place with regards to modernization of equipment and retrofits for existing equipment. Energy Audit enables a plant to understand about continuous opportunities in a plant to achieve energy optimization. In fact our post on New Age Industrial Energy Audit focuses on this point.

Several Energy-intensive plants may have a permanent Energy Auditor or Energy Manager. However there are several benefits of an external Energy Audit team which works across various departments - Electrical, Mechanical, Maintenance, Production etc. of a plant. Moreover an external team is better equipped to achieve Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency through energy audit as it brings a focused approach and past experience of several plants which enables in bench-marking including successful case-studies of past implementations.

Contrary to the popular belief an Energy Audit in itself can actually save Energy (Does Energy Audit really save Energy?) without further investments as well. This is the case because the Energy Audit report which is submitted after the Energy Audit contains several key information about the plant such as energy consumption trend, energy calculations, areas for improvement etc. and of course the recommendations.

The Energy Audit report submitted at the end of the site visit phase (for measurement, collection of data, interaction with plant people etc.). The recommendations in the Energy Audit Report are not always requiring high investment and are in any case having a payback of less than 18 months or in some cases 24 months - which is generally acceptable to the Management. They are categorized into 3 types -

Medium investment recommendations - typically the ones with requiring mid-size investments in retrofits or modifications in the existing system for Energy optimization.

High investment recommendations - the ones requiring larger investments. (The categorization value is specific to a plant based on various factor such as size, energy consumption, SEC etc.)

Energy Audit in a Plant creates an awareness and a sense of urgency among the Plant personnels which in turn translates into further energy saving. It is established that simple methods of saving energy (such as manually Switching off an equipment when not in use) can be achieved through human intervention. Thus Energy Audit helps a plant to achieve further savings - however small without any investments !

It gives a positive orientation to Preventive Maintenance. This is mainly because although Energy Audit focuses primarily on Energy optimization it also points out areas which can perform better with timely maintenance - thereby enhancing reduced downtime and improved output.

It is thus no surprise that several Plants opt for a periodic Energy Audit to keep a check on the overall Energy consumption and continually achieve Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency. Energy Audit is also a step towards green initiative as it results in achieving Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency. At a higher level an Energy Audit can go a long way in optimizing the consumption of Nation's natural resources. At the Global level an Energy Audit can be a small step towards reducing GHG levels.

Monday, 2 April 2012

Energy Audit is the first step in the direction of Energy Conservation & Energy Efficiency Project. In fact Energy Audit itself may consist of 3 steps i.e. Preliminary Analysis, Walk-through Energy Audit and Detailed Energy Audit. The steps may sometimes be combined but many Auditors may skip the step or in some cases combine them. More about Energy Audit can be found in our Post on Energy Audit.

There are definite reasons that Energy Audit is not viewed as a wholesome exercise by many. The variety of reasons are at operational level as well as based on past experience by a few of the decision makers who have been involved in previous such exercises -
a. Misconception that Energy Audit in itself would save a lot of Energy.
b. Energy Audit being carried out by inexperienced and incompetent teams.
c. Recommendation implementations not taking place resulting in no conclusive outcome of Energy Audit.
d. Recommendation implementations not approved despite good savings potential.
Etc. Etc.

With various factors considered it is sensible to assume that an Energy Audit in itself will not save significant energy. Although Energy Audit itself does save some energy and the savings can be in the range of 4-7% achieved by changing certain operational parameters, visible areas of saving by bench-marking, ergonomic factors, enhanced awareness etc.. In case of purely Electrical Energy Audit the savings can be on the higher side of range band through the Energy Audit itself. To achieve significant saving retrofits and equipment replacements are needed as per the recommendations mentioned in the Energy Audit Report. However to obtain appropriate recommendations for operational changes, retrofits and replacements inline with the process and operational requirements is what Energy Audit is all about.

In a nutshell Energy Audit is the first crucial step in the direction of Energy Conservation & Energy Efficiency Project. If carried out in a systematic approach by experts in this field - energy saving can be expected as an outcome of the exercise. The other outcome of course is the report which lists out the recommendations. With ever-rising Energy Costs it is imperative for Industrial Plants to carry out periodic Energy Audit and implement the solution as well to achieve greater results.

Another interesting point is about measuring the savings and if savings have actually been achieved in a plant after an Energy Audit. In general a comparative analysis of energy consumption before and after audit will not reveal true results as energy consumption generally is not constant for any given plant due to seasonal changes, market demand for the product (being manufactured), internal factors etc. Specific Energy Consumption is the term which is used to denote the Energy required or Energy invested (Electricity, Coal, Diesel, Fuel etc.) in producing one unit of a product. With a setup having more than one product the SEC for each of the product needs to be calculated and will give a true indication whether an Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency has been achieved or not.

With an aim to reduce Specific Energy Consumption an Energy Audit should not be carried out in isolation but should be looked at as part of an overall Energy Conservation Project and hence Specific Energy Consumption or Specific Power Consumption should be closely monitored as an ongoing practice to achieve good results.

Saturday, 25 February 2012

Electrical Energy Audit forms an integral part of an Industrial Energy Audit. It is one of the 2 main forms of energy that is being audited and accounted for during Energy Audit. For some of the Industries which do not have Thermal Utilities an Energy Audit will only consist of Electrical Energy Audit.

Additionally Electrical Energy Audit also consists of Power Quality Analysis. Study and Analysis of Harmonics forms the main constituent of Power Quality issues. Other Power Quality issues include Sag, Swell, Voltage Fluctuations etc. During the audit sophisticated instruments such as Power Analyzer (Single phase and Three Phase), Harmonics Analyzer, Megger etc. are used by Certified Energy Auditors and Energy Managers to carry out measurements of various electrical utilities. Analysis of electrical consumption is done based on these measurements.

Further to this analysis of electricity bills, energy consumption trends, bench-marking inline with process requirement is also carried out.

The report mainly consists of detailed analysis of the measurements, tables, pictures, graphical depictions and important calculations. Energy saving recommendations along with payback / RoI calculations are also included in the Energy Audit report. The recommendations may range from operational changes to retrofits and major changes. However based on our past experience it has been observed that Energy Audit itself may result in overall savings of 2-7% and with retrofit and other recommendations can result in savings of around 20%.

Friday, 24 February 2012

Energy Audit Report is a Comprehensive report which is submitted at the end of the Energy Audit. It generally covers up all the phases of Energy Audit including Walk-through Energy Audit, Preliminary Data Analysis, Detailed Energy Audit, Detailed Data Analysis, Savings Calculations and Recommendations.

In case of Industrial Energy Audit it is imperative to study and analyze the data in advance before carrying out actual Energy Audit by site visit.

This is a general content of a Energy Audit Report. The actual content may vary from Industry to Industry. Needless to say an Energy Audit Report should contain necessary graphs, tables and calculations which support the recommendations.

Saturday, 18 February 2012

Energy Optimization is here to stay and there are reasons to believe it - atleast in India. With 15% peak deficitwhich is expected to widen further with rapid growth and Industrialization. Well this is just not the reason but one of the most startling facts that should ensure that Energy Optimization becomes a routine rather than a specialized exercise.

Reason # 1 : India continues to grow rapidly with several expansions and new Industries seeing the light of the day. To support these Industries by relying only on power generation will not be possible and we can certainly see renewed and long-term interest in Energy Optimization. Perhaps it will result in further interest in the form of Government initiatives.

Reason # 2 : With nearly 70% of power from Fossil fuels there is a huge dependence on the same. It has been witnessed in the past (Gulf War etc.) that certain instances can certainly influence the pricing and availability of fossil fuels. There is a gradual shift in focus from reducing dependence on fossil fuels by going for alternative options like Solar Power. However without Energy Optimization a holistic approach to solving the power problem may not be seen. It therefore makes considerable sense to adopt Energy Efficient approach by initiating an Energy Audit.

Reason # 3 : Large-scale initiatives require Government support. Energy Saving Certificates or E-Certs are Government initiatives to encourage Industrial Plants (especially Energy intensive Industries) to opt for Energy Optimization. This is just the beginning and hence we expect greater action going forward. Moreover there is already a Government directive to penalize Industrial plants which are not adopting energy efficient means of operation.

Reason # 4 : Power deficit and increased demand translates into increased prices. The power prices have already risen several times in the past. This will continue to rise further thanks to coal shortage and freeing up of Coal prices. In a nutshell there would be no option but to go in for comprehensive measures to optimize energy usage and most of it would be outsourced to experts.

There are other reasons which shall be discussed in the next posts.....

Wednesday, 7 December 2011

ConventionallyEnergy Audithas been more about Demand Side Management i.e. improvement on Load Side to result in Energy Conservation and enhance Energy Efficiency of the Plant or Facility. However with recent developments and interest in Captive Power Generation Energy - Industrial Audit will not and should not only focus on Demand Side Management but also on Power Generation especially from Green Sources like Solar Energy.

In general Energy Audit as a concept has been more concerned with improvements in existing setup and also a part of it including in retrofits which in most likely scenarios will be additional equipment being installed or replacing outdated plant equipment. There is an interesting shift especially by the Industries in exploring the option for Captive Power generation especially through Green Energy Sources such as Solar Energy.

Industrial Clients are now interested in a more holistic approach to the Energy Solutions and hence look at possible alternative energy. It also makes lot of Commercial Sense to have a Power Portfolio with the right kind of Power Mix. It is quite evident that in such a scenario - Photo Voltaic Solar will play a crucial role in Captive Power Generation thereby reducing some dependence on Grid Power - in whatever small way possible.

Referring to the context in Indian Industries an Energy Audit should adopt a very systematic approach. Primary purpose of Energy Audit is to explore areas and opportunities for Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency. However an Energy Audit in itself may save Energy as mentioned in the recent post (Does Energy Audit really save Energy?). Energy Audit should primarily consist of :

Detailed understanding and study of existing system and setup and devising ways and means to reduce Specific Power Consumption.

Analysis of Power Consumption Trend and suggesting measures for improvement in the same and stabilizing the consumption.

Identifying the Present Power Portfolio and Designing the Ideal Power Mix.

Exploring possibility of Greener and More Efficient Fuel Alternatives.

Identifying Opportunities for Renewable Power Sources - based on Geography.

Follow Up visits to ensure that Recommendations schedule is adhered to.

From an Industrial point of view Energy Audits should look at more of a comprehensive approach than just as a starting point of reducing Production Cost. Energy Audit Checklistgenerally forms a good basis for Energy Auditors to carry out Energy Audit.

In the Global context Industries are focusing more on reducing their carbon footprint - necessitated by Governing Environmental Laws. Strict enforcement of such laws postulates that Industrial Energy Audit goes a step beyond the conventional approach and adopts newer technologies for not only Demand Side Management but also for Green Power Generation.

With increased environmental awareness the pressure on Industries is mounting to reduce their Carbon footprint by adopting Greener Methods wherever possible. In such as Scenario Energy Audit would play a crucial role in offering Industries a Comprehensive Approach towards a Greener Plant. Most Frequently asked Questions on Solar Energy can be found on our Post - Solar Energy FAQs.

Sunday, 13 November 2011

Energy Audit is a very important periodic exercise carried out with the objective of achieving Energy Conservation and improving Energy Efficiency - mainly for Industrial Plants and Commercial Facilities. Some States have a mandate for Energy Audit to be carried out by designated Industries once every 2-3 years. Why is Energy Audit so important and why have a mandate in place for something so useful is a flummoxing question.

As a matter of fact every Industrial Plant or a Commercial Facility - however efficiently run will have scope for Energy Saving. There are various reasons for the same -

Dynamic Changes - every plant / facility undergoes some changes (expansion / addition / removal) over a period of time and the overall energy consumption and trends may change because of this.

Emergence of Advanced Technology Equipment and Retrofit which save significant energy due to efficient running.

Critical Assessment including Advanced Thermography for Thermal Energy Audit and Power Quality Check (especially for Harmonics) for Electrical Energy Audit.

Not having a dedicated Energy Cell to monitor and report Energy usage and suggest corrective actions for the same. Many Industrial Plants still rely on Production or Maintenance Teams for the same. Energy Cell is especially recommended for Industrial Plants and specifically for Energy-intensive Industries.

Ageing of Equipment.

Lack of awareness regarding energy saving potential of the plant or about Energy Audit in general with specific plant related inputs.

Not undergoing an Energy Audit. Even for the plants having a dedicated Energy Cell or a Energy Manager - an Energy Audit will prove fruitful. This is because an Energy Audit from a vendor brings in experts from diverse Industries who are dedicated towards achieving results in this domain.

Plant People focus on their primary responsibility. For instance a department HOD may focus only on the domain maintenance and improvements in the particular domain which maybe viewed in isolation. An Energy Audit looks at holistic picture to suggest improvements in the plant.

Although plant people are highly capable there might be times that simpler measures such as operational efficiency may be overlooked- which may deteriorate over a period of time.

Improper maintenance for short-term gains.

Cross-Industrial and Cross-Domain Experience which may not be found within any single plant but may certainly be found in a single Service Provider.

So why despite the ever-rising running costs and Energy Costs are Indian Industries not carrying out Energy Audit on a bigger scale? The answers could be many but the primary reason is the Myths surrounding the Audit. For instance many consider Energy Audit to be the Energy Saver exerciser without any further investment. However the fact remains that Energy Audit is the first step in the direction of Energy Optimization of a Plant. The exercise begins with initial visit or collection of data in the Energy Audit Questionnaire. The Questionnaire is generally filled up by the Plant team and submitted back to the Service Provider / Energy Auditor. On receiving the same the Service Provider proceeds with preparing a Comprehensive and Customized Scope of Work for the Plant. The primary objective of Energy Audit is to explore potential areas for Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency including the ones which require No Investment. So in some sense Energy Audit in itself can also save energy. Although there are recommendations in the Energy Audit Report which indicate retrofits which require investment. However with the due care that the Investments are justified.

It has also been observed that in some few cases Energy Audit is carried out by inexperienced and un-certified engineers who may have no previous experience in this. This impacts the overall outcome and may not actually meet the primary objective of Energy Audit. In such cases an Organizations which are not satisfied with the past Energy Audit are discouraged from carrying out future Energy Audits as well. As a practice Organizations should duly check the experience and expertise of the Vendor. In general Energy Audit is carried out of Electrical and Thermal Utilities and as such a similar Industry experience may prove to be beneficial but may not be deemed necessary. This is because more or less the composition of Electrical and Thermal Utilities remain the same - irrespective of the type of Industry. If however a Process Audit needs to be done then a Domain expert can add value to the exercise.

Energy Audit is the beginning of Energy Saving in a plant and is recommended for almost all the Industries - irrespective of size and type. In the Indian Context Energy Audit has a special role to play as India faces tremendous power shortage (about 10% Peak Deficit) and also the potential for Energy Conservation is estimated at a mind-boggling 25,000 MW.

It may be worthwhile to mention that the exercise bears results for Industries having either a load of above 400 kVA or good Steam Consumption & Boilers. In case a Plant or Facility has both - then a periodic Energy Audit is highly recommended. The frequency of audit may differ from plant to plant and is typically once in 2 years for detailed energy audit. In addition to this a walk-through audit twice a year ensures that Recommendations are implemented and momentum is kept strong. This also ensures that Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency becomes a way of life in the plant and taps the potentials at grass-root level.

For any further information on Energy Audit or Energy Optimization Exercise you may contact us. We have an excellent experience in Energy Audit across various diverse Industries including Steel, Cement, Thermal Power Plant, Chemical, FMCG, Edible Oil etc. Contact Details below. We have had the opportunity to serve Industry Leaders across various Industries. If you are interested in receiving our Client Testimonial and Feedback please do contact us today.

Wednesday, 2 November 2011

(Recent Updates of 06th April 2015 - below)Energy Audit Checklist gives an overview of Preliminary Energy Audit of a Facility. This refers to the basic data capturing for assessing the present status of Energy Efficiency. This Energy Audit checklist is only for a quick assessment and not a detailed Energy Audit. For a detailed study Our Energy Audit experts from this field who are B.E.E. Certified need to make a comprehensive Energy Saving Plan for Energy Optimization.

This is NOT a Energy Audit Questionnaire. To download Energy Audit Questionnaire please Click Here.

k) Renewable Energy PotentialEvaluating potential for Renewable Energy especially Solar Energy for Power generation. This is because of immense benefits of PV Solar over other technologies, especially modular and scalable nature.Updates on 06th April 2015While energy-intensive Industrial plants are taking all possible steps to improve on Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency one point worth mentioning is that the Energy Audit concludes with the Energy Audit Report submission.The end-user is left to implement the energy conservation and energy efficiency measures on their own., which is the general practice.However the key to complete the cycle of Energy Audit is to implement the solutions and recommendations made in the Energy Audit Report. Without which the entire exercise of Energy Audit is rendered futile. There could be 2 possible scenarios under this -

The plant / end-user Company may invest in the energy saving recommendations on their own. This is the general practice all across India in 99% of the cases.

The energy audit Company invests in these recommendations and shares the benefits of Energy saving with the plant on ESCO basis.

The advantage of ESCO model is immense and it can enable a plant to save on energy immediately without any investment. We invite your comments / queries / feedback below this article.